Seeing Red: Capturing the Island of Malta in Cardinal & Crimson

Seeing Red: Capturing the Island of Malta in Cardinal & Crimson

When we moved to the Mediterranean island of Malta last autumn, we envisioned our leisure time swiftly being spent exploring the country’s plentiful heritage sites, soaking up the sunshine, and strolling by the beautiful blue water encircling the tiny island. Back then, we couldn’t imagine all the red tape that we’d have to ‘cut through’ in order to settle into another new country. At times, we were feeling a bit daunted by it all.

Once we’d overcome bureaucratic tasks like securing a visa and finding an apartment, it was time to begin getting acquainted with this island, which boasts 7,000 years of history and a fervor for festivals. Not long after we arrived, Malta ‘rolled out the red carpet’ for world leaders attending a high-profile summit and meeting of Commonwealth nations. And soon, Malta’s communities began ‘painting their towns red’ with traditional saint’s day festivals (festas), and lively celebrations of the Carnival, Christmas and New Year’s sort. In finally being able to soak up all these details, we went from feeling daunted to delighted by our new surroundings.

As I looked back on the past six months here, I noticed that of all the fantastic color that makes Malta’s street scenes come alive, red hues are especially plentiful. From the island’s flag, to its ubiquitous crimson-colored phone booths and enclosed balconies, red simply abounds here.

What follows is a photo essay of some of the splashes of red which I’ve spotted.

Vibrant red feast day flags line a hilly street in Malta’s capital city, Valletta, as marching band members and revelers mingle under a storm of confetti. This ticker tape-like parade was held as part of St. Paul’s Shipwreck festa celebrations. The city’s much-loved feast day is celebrated annually each February.A brass door knocker bearing the Maltese cross is the focal point of a brilliant red door in the village of Luqa (left). This eight-pointed cross is a national symbol of Malta and is associated with the Knights of St. John who ruled Malta for more than two centuries. Today, it’s a ubiquitous feature of Maltese souvenirs; the cross also adorns some Euro coins from Malta. On the right, I’m inside a cherry-red phone booth in Valletta, a remnant from Malta’s time as a British colony (1813–1964.) Like other British-English words that are now sneaking into our vocabulary (‘to let’ vs. ‘to rent’ and ‘trolley’ vs. ‘shopping cart’), I wonder if it might soon sound more natural to call this a ‘telephone box’ instead of a phone booth? :)Shawn in Valletta (left) and gorgeous Hibiscus flowers (right).A telephone booth in Mosta. In the background is the city’s famed church dome, which is one of the largest unsupported domes in the world.Last November, Malta ‘rolled out the red carpet’ for dignitaries in attendance at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). With Queen Elizabeth set to tour Valletta’s Grand Harbour by boat one day, Shawn and I left our apartment shortly after breakfast to see if we might catch a glimpse of the pomp and circumstance. Fans stood near the harbor’s edge, waving British and Maltese flags, while a helicopter rumbled overhead. The crew of a large British ship – the HMS Bulwark – stood guard, waiting to give the Queen a royal salute. Near Valletta’s Customs Wharf, we brushed shoulders with Chinese, Italian and German tourists, while a Maltese onlooker remarked quite dramatically, “This is the only chance that the Queen has to interact with the public!” A German onlooker lamented to her husband that everyone on the boat looked “so small” compared to what you would be able to see on TV. Soon, we saw the colorful luzzu, a traditional Maltese boat, leaving Kalkara, and heading to the Valletta Customs Wharf. The crew of the HMS Bulwark cheered, “Hooray, hooray, hooray” while waving their hats in the air. The petite queen then disembarked the luzzu, and headed over to the spot where she would unveil a commemorative disk for the new Commonwealth Walkway. With a bit of effort, she pulled the cord of a velvet piece of fabric, unveiling the decorative disc. The crowd clapped, and waved their flags enthusiastically. The Queen was just about to exit Customs Wharf, when she seemed to have realized that she almost forgot to acknowledge her fans. She turned to the group, and gave her trademark wave, which I captured more closely, here. We were surprised that we were able to get so close to the action. Here, she’s visible between a sea of Maltese red and white flags.As we approached the spot where Queen Elizabeth (photo above) was set to disembark, a group of Maltese Girl Guides (similar to American Girl Scouts) handed us a pair of Maltese flags with which to greet the British monarch. Here is the Grand Harbour as well as Fort St. Angelo, which is believed to have been constructed around the 13th century.A trio of poppy wreaths sits at the base of Malta’s War Memorial monument in Floriana (left). The poppy has become a common Remembrance Day symbol because of the war poem, ‘In Flanders Fields’. Poppies are said to have bloomed upon some of the worst battlefields in World War I, and so they became a symbol for those lost during the war. On the right, members of Malta’s military band march from Valletta to Floriana, ahead of Veterans / Remembrance Day commemorations. On the morning of this procession, Shawn and I heard the music of a band echoing on our Valletta street. I left our apartment to investigate, happening upon this band dressed in navy uniforms and white sashes. The musicians performed just as Malta’s President and Prime Minister arrived for a special church service in St. John’s Co-Cathedral. The band members also wore red poppies on their hats, to commemorate the day.The Swiss Air Force PC-7 Team flies over the village of Safi during the 2015 Malta International Airshow.Of all the elaborate and fun costumes we saw at Valletta’s Carnival parade in February, this boy’s head-in-a-jar ensemble had to be one of the most creative!A man plays dress up in Valletta for Carnival (left), and evidence of Malta being a mecca for filmmakers (right). We had our first Maltese film set sighting last October. A flurry of activity on Valletta’s streets caught our eye because Turkish copper tea sets, colorful carpets, woven baskets, and storefront signs in Turkish and French had transformed two of the capital’s streets into miniature versions of an Istanbul bazaar. I chatted with a few of the set designers back then, who shared that filming would begin in a few days, and that the movie, ‘The Promise’, was set to star actors Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac. The London Times dubbed Malta the “Mediterranean’s mini Hollywood” because of all the movies shot here. It’s no wonder given Malta’s plentiful sunshine, dramatic landscapes, and handsome architecture.Women wearing these elaborate Ganesh statues on their backs looked strained as they walked Valletta’s streets during February Carnival celebrations.A toddler duo looks like they’ve had enough of Carnival partying! The celebrations in Valletta lasted for days.Valletta’s Lvant Street (Triq-il-Lvant).Confetti dances in the air at St. Paul’s Shipwreck celebrations in Valletta. On the left, massive banners decorate the street, and on the right, a sweaty reveler pumps a parasol up and down as he’s carried through a parade. A Maltese cross symbol was emblazoned on top of the umbrella.A vintage Valletta storefront contrasts with the city’s ubiquitous limestone façades.A phone booth in Mosta (left) and a British post box in Valletta (right).A weathered gallarija in Msida (left) and an accordionist serenades passersby in Valletta (right).A shiny Vespa soaks up Malta’s celebrated sunshine in Valletta (left) and a Valletta paint store from bygone days (right).A pair of handsome doors flank a long-ago shuttered Valletta storefront.Malta’s flag flits in the sky at the Saluting Battery in Valletta. The Grand Harbour and Senglea (one of the Three Cities) are in the background.Ornamental pepper plants spill out of a flower bed in Valletta’s Upper Barrakka Gardens.Slices of a baguette, dressed in tomato paste, olive oil, and fresh rosemary, sit on a limestone ledge overlooking the Maltese countryside during one of our ecotours. The tomato paste is known as kunserva in Maltese, and it’s often paired with tuna and capers too, creating a popular summer snack that’s called Ħobż biż-Żejt.Strawberries (frawli) tempt shoppers at the Sunday market held in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk. These were grown in Mġarr, a village that hosts a strawberry festival every April.Giant prawns for sale at Marsaxlokk’s weekly market (left) and a curious dog sitting on his master’s lap peeks through Old World limestone railings in Cospicua (right). The man’s companions saw that I was eager to take a picture and encouraged the dog to look my way.An impeccably polished reproduction of a Roman helmet sits on a table above the St. Paul’s Catacombs in the city of Rabat, gleaming in the sunshine (left). On the right, a crimson uniform in the Manoel Theatre Museum.An actor participates in a reenactment of a Roman funeral, with St. Paul’s Catacombs as a backdrop. The event was hosted by Heritage Malta, the country’s government body tasked with maintaining heritage sites.Poinsettias mingle with Bougainvillea in the San Anton Gardens in Attard. The adjacent palace is the official residence of Malta’s President. The gardens are open to the public and are a wonderful place to see beautiful flora as well as peacocks, cats, goldfish, and ducks.Valletta’s Strait Street by day (left) and by night (right). Known by locals as ‘Strada Stretta’ the street was once Malta’s nightlife mecca and red-light district, a place where sailors who were in port went for entertainment. There’s a popular Maltese television show of the same name, which the Maltese regularly praise. As Malta gained its independence and the sailors no longer came to the island en masse, the businesses on the street shuttered up, and like many of Valletta’s buildings, became dilapidated. Strada Stretta and Valletta are having a renaissance once again, meaning that long-forgotten bars (such as the one on the left) are being brought back to life, thanks to new hip establishments springing up and cultural events being held on this once-infamous street.Fireworks paint the sky over Cospicua (Bormla) on the eve of annual celebrations for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (left). On the right, the ornate interior of St. Paul’s Cathedral, in Mdina, is dressed in red damask fabric.Children perform during a Christmas program in Valletta, on Pjazza Jean De Valette. Malta’s Prime Minister, President, and Opposition Leader were in attendance, and we were surprised that everyday citizens could get so close to the leaders. The President was making the rounds with attendees and I inadvertently shook her hand three times that night.Valletta is all aglow with twinkly lights draped over Republic Street, and a Christmas tree composed of more than 2,000 handmade glass ornaments. Malta’s capital city was recently dubbed one of the ’15 best places to spend Christmas’ and based upon the festive settings we glimpsed last year, we have to agree!

Where in the World?

Planning Pointers:

If you are Malta-bound, peruse Malta’s Official Tourism Site for details about this delightful island, which has a plethora of attractions, despite being quite small.

Do you fancy collages? From windows of the world, to brilliantly-coiffed German horse tails, and fanciful Moldovan water wells, I have many more cultural offerings in my collage series. Please enjoy!

If you need more trip-planning inspiration here is an index of all my posts from Malta.

What a great post ~ so bright and beautiful. Malta has been on my list of places to visit and I even had a flight/hotel booked a few years ago but work issues required that I cancel at the last minute. Will have to get there for a visit one day!

Hi Patricia, and welcome! I’m sorry to hear that your trip here didn’t materialize the first time around. Coincidentally, I made my maiden trip to Malta about a decade ago, then ended up moving here with my husband last autumn. With that being said, I hope you get a second chance to visit. While Malta may be diminutive in size, it certainly has a lot to offer to those who appreciate culture, history, or active adventures. Incidentally, I see you previously lived in Germany. I used to call Heidelberg home.

Darlene, indeed, we’re having a hard time believing we’re about half-way through our year here! As you probably remember from your day spent in Malta, this tiny island makes a big statement when it comes to color. I love that while the majority of the limestone buildings are neutral, bright-painted doors, shutters, and balconies keep street scenes from looking too monochromatic. Thanks for taking the time to comment, and happy weekend!

While my knowledge of Polish is limited to “Dziękuję” Google Translate came to the rescue and helped me understand your comment. :) Thank you! Absolutely, with Malta’s complex history of having been ruled by so many different groups of people, the resulting culture is quite a unique blend. Where in Poland do you live?

I wasn’t far from your region, when my parents and I visited Bolesławiec about 10 years ago. I certainly haven’t explored Poland as much as I would like to, but I have enjoyed brief visits to Wrocław and Kraków.

Harriet, happy to hear that my post is helping to get you geared up for your upcoming visit here! I’m always curious to hear how people end up on this pretty ‘dot in the Mediterranean’ and what experiences are at the top of their lists. Will it be your first trip to Malta? Are you coming by plane, by cruise ship, or by ferry?

I visited with my parents as a child, but unfortunately I can’t remember it! My partner and myself were looking for a little weekend getaway for my birthday, somewhere that offered some culture and sights but wasn’t too full-on, and we ended up choosing Malta :) We’re flying from London so shouldn’t take us too long to arrive. Any sights/restaurants near St Julians you would recommend?

If you’re coming in a few days, I hear that’ll be one of the best times of year to visit because the weather is theoretically not too hot, and there are less visitors on the island. We moved here last autumn, so haven’t yet experienced a Maltese spring, but we have not once complained about the weather these past months. Sunshine is the norm.

As for St. Julian’s, I’m rather embarrassed to say that we haven’t even made it there yet. We live in Valletta, and do a lot of day-trips to heritage and natural sites elsewhere on the island. We keep saying how we must hop on the ferry from Valletta to Sliema and explore that corner of the island one of these days. Ironically, perhaps I can get some feedback from you after your trip here. :)

Will you be renting a car, or relying on mass transit or a driver to get around?

Looking forward to a bit of sunshine after an English winter!!
We haven’t decided yet, we tend to arrive somewhere and then figure everything out :D We’re thinking either renting a car/bike or getting the buses! What would you recommend?

I enjoy biking elsewhere in Europe, but so far haven’t seen a lot of roads that would be biker-friendly here (because of narrow, jam-packed roads, and drivers that generally aren’t accustomed to bicyclists).

It just occurred to me that you might mean a motorbike instead? The drivers can be rather daring here. :) I lived in Germany for 10 years and have driven through many corners of Europe, but I haven’t been eager to get behind the wheel here yet. We’re only living in Malta for a year, so we’ve instead decided to rely on the buses to get around. Bus travel is inexpensive, and with it, you needn’t worry about finding parking. If you decide to go the bus route, inquire about the various tourist passes once you get here. This is a link to some of the different bus passes: https://www.publictransport.com.mt/en/bus-card-and-ticketing

There are a lot of bus lines here, which effectively link most of the island’s main attractions. Because there are so many vehicles on this tiny island, however, traffic can be difficult, especially during peak commuting times. Buses can take longer than cars (because of the numerous stops), but both cars and buses are susceptible to traffic jams, of course. You can use this link (or Google Maps) to help scope out various routes: https://www.publictransport.com.mt/journey_planner

I was initially deceived by short distances here, thinking that it might only take a few moments to get to a given place if it’s a few kilometers away. :) If you time your journeys right, a given destination is never so far away since Malta is compact. But if traffic is bad, or if there has been a rare storm, it can take much longer than anticipated to arrive.

Life proceeds at a different pace here, so don’t be surprised if a scheduled bus occasionally doesn’t arrive. We jokingly refer to those as the ‘ghost buses’.

The weather, however, is consistently fantastic – at least we think so after being accustomed to cold winters most of our lives!

What a great theme for this post! I’d like to read a post about the process of getting your visas, finding housing and your lifestyle. I would very much like a long stay in Malta. Isn’t is part of the Schengen Zone and therefore only 3 months would be allowed for US citizens without requiring a visa?

Merrill, thanks for your compliments about this infusion of red. :) I also appreciate your feedback about doing a how-to post for settling in Malta. When we were apartment hunting and encountering challenges in doing so, I had considered writing a ‘how to find an apartment in Malta’ piece. I may just have to expand that to include our experiences in obtaining visas, etc.

And yes, you’re right – Malta is part of the Schengen Zone and the EU. As Americans, we were able to enter on the Schengen tourist visa (3 months), then obtain an additional visa in order to stay here for my husband’s studies.

Tricia, what a great eye you have, the choice of cardinal red is just wonderful to represent your current city you live in. I am glad to know that you have overcome all those barriers of visa and etc. From now on you will be able to fully inhale and enjoy where you are. Is Malta integrated in the EU? I didn’t know that, because you were talking about Euro’s….. is Malta a more of orthodox culture or more catholic, I couldn’t figure out, but some of your images made me think of the more orthodox believe. Enjoy your stay!!

Cornelia, Malta is a fascinating country, with a culture reflective of all the different groups of people that have lived and ruled here. They drive on the left, and Maltese and English are both official languages. (The Maltese language itself sounds a bit like Arabic, and has a smattering of Italian and English words thrown in.) As for religion, I’ve heard some claims that Malta “is the most Catholic country in the world.” There are reputed to be about 350 churches on this tiny island, and feast days of saints are celebrated passionately. (In the summer months, for example, there’s a festa nearly every week.) And yes, Malta has been an EU member since 2004.

Now that we’ve overcome the bureaucratic hurdles, we’ll certainly take advantage of the extra time to enjoy our surroundings. Geographically-speaking, Malta is very diminutive, however, there sure is a lot to see and do: prehistoric temples that predate Stonehenge, museums, rugged natural sites, festivals, and Mediterranean harvests. There are also two ‘sister islands’ just a ferry ride away. And, Malta’s really only a 2.5-hour direct flight from Germany. Perhaps you can make a long weekend trip here next time you visit?

Dear Tricia, thank you so much for your very informative respond. Through your wonderful posts I became attracted to Malta and it’s added to my travel list. I love the landscape, the rural aspects of this island so far what I see from you. Thank you , You just inspired me, to hop over there on my next visit to Germany in Munich. Which might be even this year, one of my nieces will be getting married in December. Although it is winter, would that be still a good time to visit Malta? Would I need to apply for a tourist visa? I know I have always many questions for you. But you are such a great source. Have a great week.

Cornelia, I’m glad the information was useful to you and that you’re likely headed back to Europe later this year. Lest I portray Malta as being extremely rural, I did want to point out that it’s the – or one of the most densely populated countries – in Europe. The rural areas that remain are quite pretty though, and Malta’s sister island, Gozo, (which is only a 30-minute ferry ride away) is less developed than Malta. I’ve heard people describe Gozo as “Malta as it once was”.

As for December, I can only speak for last winter, which was said to be warmer and less rainy than usual. With so many days of sunshine, we’ve never complained about the weather here. We’re quickly getting accustomed to all this Mediterranean sunshine and mild temperatures.

As for a tourist visa, Malta is part of the EU and the Schengen Zone, so you probably wouldn’t need one. I’m not sure which passports you hold, so you’d want to check to be certain. As American passport holders, we were able to enter automatically on a tourist visa, then we had to secure another visa in order to stay here beyond 90 days. Hope this helps, and feel free to let me know if you have more questions!

Carol, thank you very much (or as they’d say here in Malta, ‘Grazzi ħafna’). :)

Last November was an interesting time to be here, because of the CHOGM Meeting, and a Summit on Migration, both of which had leaders attending from around the world. We live in Malta’s capital city (Valletta) and helicopters were patrolling the skies near our apartment for days. On the morning that we saw Queen Elizabeth, we’d just expected to catch a glimpse of her boat touring in Malta’s Grand Harbour. You can imagine our surprise when we ended up rather close to her and her entourage. She apparently lived in Malta before she became queen.

Halee, with so many images of Malta filling up my photo library, I thought it was a fun way to package them. Perhaps more colorful round-ups will be on their way. Thank you for dropping by, and wish you a wonderful weekend ahead!

Having been here about 6 months now, you can imagine how many photographs I’ve amassed, Henry! Each set merits its own post or mini guide, but I thought this would be a departure from my more informational posts. Thank you for your kudos. :)

The Maltese language is challenging, so I’ve admittedly not picked up too many phrases, but one that I found interesting having lived in Germany was their use of ‘prosit.’ The Maltese use the word to congratulate others, a sort of ‘bravo’ or ‘well done’. Malta’s such a melting pot of cultures, having been settled by so many different people, that I wonder if the two phrases share linguistic origins.

Virginia, many thanks for your kind words about this rouge-infused post; it’s always a delight having you along, whether sharing a virtual coffee or tea.

Shawn and I are indeed lucky to have the chance to call this pretty little Mediterranean island home for a year. I can’t believe we’re already half-way through our time here. Certainly enough time remains to craft more color-inspired posts, so perhaps part two – in blue – is on its way? Take care, and sending hugs back your way.

Michael, thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot, especially coming from someone who knows Maltese culture best!

Shawn and I are looking forward to telling the story of our morning meeting your bees and learning about beekeeping on the island. We hope you are well and that you and your family enjoyed a relaxing Easter weekend. Grazzi ħafna once again.

Well it’s me, Aurora’s partner and the writing side of the blog who lived there – my father was stationed at Luqa for two periods of 3 years – we live in Norway now. I always loved the Maltese boats and now I have a little wooden one myself. I loved the ice cream floats on the beach and trips to the blue grotto.

It’s a small world indeed! My husband and I lived in Luqa for one month, before we settled into our long-let apartment in Valletta. Were there previously a lot of personnel stationed in Luqa, or did you live in another village?

We haven’t yet experienced a Maltese summer, but from the sound of it, ice cream floats might be needed over the next few months to stay cool. :)

On a side note, where in Norway do you call home? My great-grandmother’s family is from Norway, and several winters ago we had the chance to meet our distant cousins. I’d love to return and see the fjords during the warm weather months.

Wow Tricia, seeing red indeed ~ this is such a rich post: colors, expressions, celebrations and smiles. You take us through the full gamut here, and I am wishing for more. I think you and Shawn are definitely in your element. Safe travels and enjoy spring (as if there was any chance you wouldn’t!). Cheers!

Dalo, thank you! I had a plethora of pictures from these past months, and decided that color-based themes might be a fun way to introduce Malta.

Speaking of springtime, and red, we continue to enjoy our time here. Tomorrow, we’re off to a strawberry festival. My waistline is growing just thinking of all the strawberry desserts that’ll be there!

Thanks, as always, for your thoughtful comments. All the best for a lovely weekend!

What a coincidence – I accidentally found your blog and the first post I see is about one of my dream destinations. I tried to apply for jobs in Malta like billion times (I even had interviews, but not really succesful) and I never had any chance to visit the island, but I always had a feeling that I “belong there”. I hope to finally visit Malta this year and maybe move there one day when I either have a job that can be done remotely or just find one there. I really like the fact that the island seems to be quite colourful and festive. Have a happy and sunny day :)

Dziękuję for your thoughtful comment, Adam. Indeed, my husband and I are lucky to be living here for one year while he completes studies at the University of Malta. The plentiful sunshine, fascinating history, rugged landscapes, and lively festivals make it a neat place to call home.

I wish you much luck with your quest to someday move here. You seem very motivated, so here’s hoping that your passion will help carry you here. :)

Glad you enjoyed this glimpse of Malta’s red side, Peggy. Having been creating travelogues, guides, and collages, I thought it’d be a fun diversion to look at a place through the filter of a particular hue. From the blue waters that surround it, to the island’s golden-limestone homes, Malta certainly exudes color. Thanks for your thoughtful comment, and enjoy the weekend!

Yes, exactly! I really loved it, it was really a unique way to approach it. :) I’m prepping to return to Europe. Flight leaves Thursday and arriving on Friday. Pretty stressed/tired at the moment. I know you understand!

Peggy, belated greetings and travel well wishes, if you’re still in Europe! I’ve been away from social media these past weeks – going on two months – because we’ve been at sea and on land where internet connectivity has been non-existent, or patchy. Fun times though.

Obviously, I have too! ;b Not for the same reasons…just traveling a lot, so I have to prioritize in my limited free time. You know how it goes. I hate to say it, but my blog always ends up being my last priority. Bummer. Thanks for checking in! Hope you are well, wherever you are! :)